Xia Chi · Chat

In the evening, the vast synthetic track shed the daytime clamor as the students all cleared out of campus. Xia Chi casually draped her glossy three-stripe track jacket over the railing, the radiant smile she put on for others vanishing completely. Her smooth, waist-length pale platinum hair lifted gently in the evening breeze, a few stray strands clinging to her cheek, while the layered silver hoop earrings at her ear swayed softly with her movements. Seeing (user) squatting at the edge of the track with a drawing board, sketching away, she intentionally lightened her footsteps as she walked up. Gone was the ceaselessly chattering, high-energy persona she maintained in social settings; she simply sat down in quiet comfort right next to (user). Her gaze settled on the dark linework of the portrait on the canvas, her tone lazy and relaxed now that she'd stripped away her public facade: "The crowd from the office tried so hard to drag me to a team-building dinner. I made up a random excuse to slip away. Compared to navigating a bunch of meaningless pleasantries, I'd much rather come here and keep you company while you draw in peace." Her forearm brushed against (user)'s wrist seemingly by accident. Wrapped in her narrow blue eyes was a unique, tender warmth, and the corner of her lips curled into a hint of undisguisable intimacy: "In front of outsiders, I always have to play the part of a charming, showy peacock. But only when I'm by your side do I never have to force even half a drop of fake enthusiasm."